Coating apparatus.



J. MEADE.

GOATING APPARATUS. APPucATmN FILED FEB. 21. 1911.

- 1,154,874. m9111111 sept. 28, 1915.

.air-.ais corr' UNITED sTiris PATENT onirica.

JAMES MEADE, or sToUGHToN, MAssAcHUsTTTs.

COATING APPARATUS.

`To all w fiom it may yconcern Be it known that I, JAMES MEADE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stoughton, inthe county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have vinvented new and useful Improvements in Coating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

In the coating of 'fabrics with waterproof substances, as ordinarily carried on, and

particularly when there is included the step of doubling the goods to give a/ coating of the waterproof substance between outer layers of fabric, itis necessary to employ a number of distinct machines, each performing one of a series of operations. Between these the goods arerepeatedly rolled and handled, often with resulting injury and always causing their production to be rela- -tively inefficient and costly. In accordance withmy invention, a unitary apparatus is provided in which the fabric may be advanced without interruption from its initial -supply to the filial operation, each element passing upwardly over the bed-roll' 10 of a spreader C and beneath its vertically adj ustable gage-knife or spreading member 11. The latter is so adjusted as to apply to the ...fabric a comparatively light coating of 'a suitable waterproof substance vhich is placed in a plastic condition upon/the fabricover `the1-bedrollandagainst the knife'. T he fabric thiisiated thentravels on over drying means, conveniently a series of 'steam coils 12 arrangedf'in anpupwardly inclined planel about a'4 rollr-13 driven at the proper speedto advancethe'goods, and then yis directed-lalong'a path ofrsomelength by idle rolls,14, 17,-and driven. rolls-15 16 to the bed-roll 1'8andA knife 19 of'a second spreader the` timethiselementrisareached, the

solvent in theinitial coating has sufficiently evaporated. This coating, on account of its light character, so fills the surfaceof the Specification of Letters Patent.

fabric, without passing through to the other side, that said'fabric isin condition to safely receive a comparatively heavy coating, applied at the spreader D and provided for by the proper adjustment of the gageknife; At this stage the' second layer of fabric 1. comes from the source of supply B, andas directed into coperationl with the now multiply coated fabric X. This may be effected by the means which first presses the layers together. As illustrated, this consists of a doubling device E having a lower roll 2l upon which the fabric X rests and a vertical` ustable'fuppei"l rpll 22 about and undeniwil'iich the fabric Y riins The doubler rolls 21 and 22 are of small diameter, and are adapted to exert upon the goods a comparatively light pressure, which `@.fectually,

smears and distributes the waterproof substance over the opposed faces of fabric'without'danger of forcing it through and defacing the outer surfaces. As the goods with the second coating leave the spreader D and proceed toward and through the doubler E, they are partially dried by some such means as steam coils 23 situated below their horizontal run, and are in better condition to receive the pressure of a second doubling device F, the light rolls 21 and 25 which may be in all respectssimilar to and act in the same manner as those of doubler E. By

them the distribution of the coating is com-I pleted, and the bringing together of the layers of fabric carried as far as is possible without endangering the exposed surfaces.

After traversing the roll 26 which guides the goods through the light doubling devices, they are directed by idlers 27, 28 and 29 over the periphery of a driven heating drum 30, contacting with a considerable portion thereof to attain the necessary evapora- A tion' ofthe solvent in .the coating. A fur- 'ther drying effect is given by the action of Patented Sept. 28, 1915.

Application ledliebruar'y 21, 1911. Serial No. 610,022.

therefore, directed by rolls 34, 35 to a doubling device H, provided with a large fixed rroll 36 and a corresponding adjustable roll 37, byl which a heavy pressure may be applied to the goods to uniformly and'smoothly join the-layers. lThus completed, they pass `through a measurmg device I'. of any convenientdesign and are finally delivered to the receivmg core or spindle J, about which the finished goods are wound for removal and shipment.v This winding spindle and the .additional function of great importance;

Once having started the fabric under the handling the goods, that little attendance is spreading knives, it is necessary that its movement shall continue without interruption, or, if it must be stopped, that the supply of coating substance be removed.'othen wise the fabric will be so saturated thatthe coating will appear at the outer fac@ ainda l injure the goods. To thus remove thev coat-" ing substance is troublesome and wasteful of time. On the other hand, it is impossible to avoid frequently stopping the doubler I-I. `After the passage of, say, fifty yards of the goods, the receiving roll must be removed and a fresh core substituted, and it is also sometimes requisite that this doubling Y device be carefully adjusted. Fur\thermore,

differences in tension of the fabric naturally occur in such a long run, operating over many -independently rotatable elements. Theslack held loosely over the supports 31 permits a' considerable difference in the rate of travel of portions' of the goods upon opposite sides of the festooner. Consequently, if one is accelerated, retarded or stopped, no evil effects Will be produced upon the other, the fold rising or-falling to compensate for the variations. f

Consideringthe apparatus as ai whole, it willbe obvious that the entire coating and doubling processes are performed without required, and that the Waterproof substance may be applied evenly and the layers rmly and uniformly combined without staining.

I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patentl. In an apparatus for making doubled waterproof fabric, the combination with a source of fabric-supply, of means for applying a coating to one face of the fabric, means for adjusting the"y distance of the applying means towardv and from the fabric to vary the thickness o'fthe coating, heating means acting upon the fabric after the coperation of theapplying means therewith, a second coating-applying means for cooperation lwith the previously coated surface of the fabric, means for adjusting the last-named `coating-applyi'ng means with respect ltothe fabric, a second source ofv fabric-supply, and

means for pressing the fabric from the Seq ond source againstthe multiply coated surf face of the fabric from the firstlnamed' 2.In an apparatus for making doubledI waterproof fabric, the combination with a with the previously coated `surface of the fabric, means for adjusting the last-named coating-applying means with respect to the' fabric, a second source of fabric supply,"a plurality of independent means for pressing the fabric from the second `source against the multiply coated surface ofthe fabric from the first-named source, and means for ad justing the Ipressure of each of said pressure means.

3. Inan apparatus for making doubled waterproof fabric, the combination with a l source of fabricfsupply, of means for apply ing a coating to one face of the fabric, means for adjusting the' distance of the applying means towardand from the fabric to varyk the thickness of the coating, heating means acting upon the fabric after the cooperation of th e applying vmeans therewith, a second coating-.applying Vmeans for coperation with the previously coated surface of the fabric, means for adjusting the last-named coating applying means with respect to the.

fabric, a second source of fabric-supply, a plurality of independent means for pressing the fabric from the second source against the ioo multiply coated surface 'of the fabri'difioim the. pressure of each of said pressuremeans,

and heating means acting upon thedoubled fabric between the pressure means.

4. In anapparatus 'for making Idoubled waterproof fabric, the combination with a source of fabric-supply., of means for applythe first-named source, means'for adjistinghlill ing a coating to one face of the fabric, means i for adjusting the distance. of the applying means toward and from the fabric to Vary the thickness of the coating, heatingy means acting upon the fabric after thecoperation of the applying means therewith, a second coating-applying ,l means for coperation With the previously coated surface 'of the fabric, mea-ns foradjusting the last-named coating-applying means with .respect to the fabric, asecond.v source of fabric-supply, a plurality of independent means for pressing the fabric from the secondA source against the multiply coated surface Nof the fabric coating-applying means with respect to the ,fabr1c, a second source of fabric-supply, and

foradjusting the distance of the applying' ymeans toward and from the fabric to vary '30 the thickness of the coating, heating means 'Y erating tofpress the fabric source of supply against-thv'- lnultiply coated.

from the irst-named'source, means for1 ad-- Justing the pressure of each of said pressure',- Qmeans', and combined heating and tensioncompensating means acting upon the doubled fabric-between Athe pressure means. In anv apparatus for making doubled waterproof fabric, the combination with a surce'of fabric-supply, of means for apply` mg a coating to. one face of the fabric, means for adjusting' the distance of the applying' means toward and from the fabricV to vary the. thlckness ofrthe coating, heating means acting upon the fabric after the coperation of the apply-ing means therewith,=a second for coperation with the previously coated surface of the coating-applyingJ means fabric, means for adjusting the last-named successive pairs of light and heavydoublerrolls operating to press the fabric from the second source against the multiply coated fabric from the first-named source.

'6. In an apparatus -for making doubled waterproof fabric, the combination with a source of fabric-supply, of means for applying a coating to onel face of the fabric, means acting upon the fabric after the coperation of the applying means therewith, a second coating-applying means for coperation with the previously coated surface of the fabric, means for adjusting the last-named coating-applying means with respectto the fabric, a second source of fabric-supply, a

plurality of pairs of light doubler-rolls opfrom the second fabric from the first-named source; means for heating the doubled fabric, and a pair of heav A-pressure rolls thereafter acting upon the oubled4 fabric. l

'TQ A'. coating apparatus `comprising a material-supply-roll, a spreader to which the supply-roll delivers, a second spreader, means for guidlng material from the. first vspreader to the second, a second materialsupply-roll, a pair of small doubler-rolls receiving the material from the spreaders and second supply-roll, a pair of large doublerrolls thereafter acting upon the material,

and. a. drum presenting an extended heat-A ing surface to the material between the small and llarge doubler-rolls.

8. A coating apparatus comprlsmg a material-supply-roll, a spreader to which the supply roll delivers, a second spreader, I.

means for guiding materialfrom the first spreader to the, second, a second materialsupply-roll, pairs offsmall .doubler-rolls' receiving the material from'the spreaders and second supply-roll, a pair of large doublerrolls tl1ere afterV acting.. upon the material,

heating co1ls over which the material passes' betweenthe small'doubler-rolls, and a heating drum -coperating with the material between the small and llarge doubler-rolls.

9.V In' an apparatus for coating material, means for applying the coating to'thema- `terial, tension means for acting upon the coated material, said coating and' tension means advancing the material .at vvarying rates of speed, and means for supporting the material in folds between theapplying means and tension means whereby the variations in the travel of the material are compensated for. v

10. A doubling apparatus comprising successive pressure means, means for moving the 4doubled material from one pressure means to another, means for supporting the material in loose folds. or festoons between the pressure means, and means for passing an air-current over said folds or festoons.

-'11. The. combination with material-coating means, of means for winding the coated material, separated supports over which the material travels in festoons between the .coating and winding means, and avsuctionconduit adjacentv to the supports and 'acting upon the'fe'stooned material.

12,.- rI `he combination vwith sources from which fabric is drawn, of-means for applyy je) ves ing plural coatings to the fabric from one v materialin successive parallel folds betweenl the pressure means, and means extending ,above all the folds for passing an air-current over sai'd folds.

Signed at Stoughton, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, th1s 16th day of February, 1911.

\ JAMES MEADE.

Witnesses:

'PATRICK H. MAHONEY, SADIE Concern. 

